Still in the Game
It's still possible to come up with a hit idea for a daytime television show, but programmers can't just rely on a prominent host or star to launch a durable show, say syndication executives.
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Zucker's NATPE Speech: Clarion Call or Empty Threat?
If the TV executives at the National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) conference left Las Vegas with anything last week, it was this: It's time to blow up the old financial model.
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Two New at NATPE: Marie Osmond, Wizard unveiled
Independent syndicator Program Partners surprised syndication watchers by announcing a new talk show starring American sweetheart Marie Osmond for fall 2009. And Disney-ABC Domestic Television will revive the once lucrative weekly sci-fi genre with Wizard's First Rule, adapted from Terry Goodkind's best-selling series of 11 fantasy novels.
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Moment of Uncouth
The writers' strike is like a forest fire, as NBC Universal's Jeff Zucker described it at the NATPE convention, a disaster from which some good may yet come. So far, however, the model impressed upon networks by the strike has been a flood of reality programming.
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NBCU's The Steve Wilkos Show Secures Season Two
NBC Universal's The Steve Wilkos Show was renewed for season two, with clearances in more than 85% of the country, said Barry Wallach, president of NBCU Domestic Television Distribution, at the annual gathering of the National Association of Television Program Executives in Las Vegas Wednesday.
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NATPE Chief 'Disappointed' in Sony Pictures Television
National Association of Television Program Executives president Rick Feldman said he is disappointed that Sony Pictures Television executives are doing business in Las Vegas during NATPE’s annual syndication confab even as the studio did not pay to exhibit at the event.
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NBCU CEO Zucker Calls for Change
The writers' strike’s most lasting legacy will likely be the way it finally pushed the broadcast networks to reinvent their businesses, said Jeff Zucker, president and CEO of NBC Universal, during Tuesday's keynote speech at the annual gathering of the National Association of Television Program Executives in Las Vegas.
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Marie Osmond Returning to Syndication
Independent syndicator Program Partners scored a coup at the National Association of Television Program Executives show in Las Vegas Tuesday, announcing that it is launching an hour-long talk strip starring Marie Osmond for fall 2009.
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NATPE Presents Founders Award to Lew Klein
Lew Klein, NATPE Educational Foundation president and one of the founders of the National Association for Television Program Executives, was, appropriately enough, given the inaugural Founders Award at the opening of the association's convention in Las Vegas.
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MGM Takes Over Distribution of Ron Hazleton's HouseCalls
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer said Monday that it picked up distribution rights to Ron Hazelton's HouseCalls from Tribune.
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Spinoff of Original American Gladiators Heads to Syndication
American Gladiators is already heading to syndication this fall after a handful of episodes. No, it's not NBC's remake of the original show, which that network has already renewed for a second go-round..
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Twentieth Television Clears Bones in 20 Markets, 45% of U.S.
Off-Fox drama Bones cleared 20 markets and 45% of the country for a fall-2009 launch in syndication, according to distributor Twentieth Television.
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ION Media Networks Strikes Baywatch Deal
ION Media Networks struck a deal with Litton Entertainment for veteran syndicated series Baywatch.
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Fifth Annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards Presented.
It was the feel-good event of NATPE '08, happening one evening before the trade show's official start. On Monday, the National Association of Television Program Executives -- in conjunction with Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News and Variety and with the cooperation of NBC Universal -- bestowed the Fifth Annual Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas..
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NATPE Buyers' Guide
After two years of slim pickings, stations finally have plenty of new shows from which to choose going into this week's annual National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) conference in Las Vegas.
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ANALYSIS: NATPE's Durable Goods
Syndication isn't dead. It's just a trickier, smaller business, as we suspect many NATPE attendees will be saying this week.
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Road to NATPE '08: Get Ready to Go!
From Jan. 28 to 31 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, TV's faithful will gather to examine programming trends in hopes of profiting in a fast-changing market. The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) confab will feature thousands of attendees, hundreds of experts and dozens of panels. Here's a sampling of some of the major ones.
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Katz Likes Sitcoms, Game Shows
In syndication, Katz Television Group is enthusiastic about two new off-net sitcoms: Debmar-Mercury's Tyler Perry's House of Payne, premiering on stations next fall, and CBS' Everybody Hates Chris, debuting in fall 2009.
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Friedman Gets New Sony Pact
Just prior to the kickoff of the NATPE syndication convention, Sony Pictures Television has given Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! Executive Producer Harry Friedman a new multi-year deal to continue overseeing the two top shows.
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Sony's Judge Karen to Bang Gavel in 72% of U.S.
Sony cleared new court series Judge Karen in 72% of the country, including 13 of the top 15 markets, said John Weiser, the company’s president of distribution.
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Road to NATPE '08: The Sweet Sound of Laughter
Sitcoms are back, say some syndicators who see the somewhat surprising success of Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men and Twentieth Television's Family Guy as a sign that comedies still can do wonders for TV stations.
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Ken Werner to Run Warner Bros.' Consolidated Syndication Unit
Ken Werner, president of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, is set to head Warner Bros.' newly combined TV-distribution group. Eric Frankel, head of Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution since 2001, is exiting the company.
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American Idol Rewind Moves to Fox Stations
The reality hour -- comprised of repackaged and never-before-seen footage from Fox’s mega-hit singing show -- will appear on 13 Fox stations come fall, including in New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Dallas; Washington, D.C.; and Houston.
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Howie's New Deal
When NBC Universal's Deal or No Deal comes to syndication this fall, it will look a bit different from the primetime version viewers have come to know and love enough that it has stayed on the primetime schedule.
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Syndication Hangs On
With daytime ratings drifting downward, syndicators large and small are redefining the way they do business. No one syndicator is approaching the economics in the same way, but like practiced lottery players, they're all hoping for the next Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy!, any show that will throw off $100 million-plus annually.
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Syndication Loses Its King
When Roger King passed away from a stroke on Dec. 8, television lost a legend who will be remembered for an unparalleled presence both inside and outside of the workplace.
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"He Was a True Showman"
The CBS Corp. organizational chart may have Leslie Moonves' name at the top, but there was one man even the president and CEO never dreamed of telling what to do: the late Roger King, CEO of CBS Television Distribution.
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King of Candor
By every account, Roger King was unparalleled as a salesman. He was also one of the best damn quotes in the television business. And at a time when financial and Wall Street pressures have tightened the larynx (and other body parts) of most every television executive, the loss of one of the last great verbal gunslingers—who could sum up pretty much anything—hits that much harder.
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Heir to the Throne
In the aftermath of CBS Television Distribution CEO Roger King’s death, industry executives say two front-runners seem poised to head the company: Robert Madden and John Nogawski, who currently are co-presidents and chief operating officers.
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ROAD TO NATPE '08: The Digital Deluge
When the syndicated version of NBC’s surprisingly popular game show Deal or No Deal launches next fall, viewers at home may be able to pick the big money case through their computer screens or cellphones. That is, if viewers aren’t checking out other syndicated game shows on their PCs.
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NBCU's Zucker to Keynote NATPE
NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker will keynote NATPE 2008, to be held Jan. 28-31 at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
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CBS Will Skip NATPE Convention
CBS Television Distribution—which has incorporated King World Productions and Paramount—last week decided against returning to the annual programming confab in Las Vegas at all.
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Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution Back on NATPE Floor
A Warner Bros. spokesperson confirmed that the company’s domestic division, which had been conducting business from a suite, will increase its profile at the event and join its international unit on the floor.
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